This invention relates generally to neutralization of explosive devices, such as land mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), bombs, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for neutralizing an explosive device on-site with controlled collateral damage, the system including both neutralizing components, conveying components, sensing components, motivating components, and an integrated system.
Various explosive devices have been and may continue to be deployed around the world. These explosive devices are present in various forms and provide various threats to people, vehicles, livestock, and other property that may be near such explosive devices. For example, explosive devices may include anti-personnel or anti-vehicle land mines. In addition, unexploded ordinance (UXO) may be located near, and present a threat to, people and property. Examples of UXO include various ammunition such as aerial bombs, or shells, which may be armed but have not yet exploded. Unknown or unforeseen conditions may cause the UXO to explode inadvertently with potentially disastrous results.
In addition, various types of explosive devices, sometimes termed bombs, can be assembled and deployed in areas where an explosion could threaten people or property. For example, such a bomb may be formed and positioned by an individual in a public area of a city. Often the triggering parameters of such a bomb are either unknown and/or out of the control of authorities who would otherwise desire to disable the bomb. For each of the above-described explosive devices, it is desirable to disable the system to avoid inadvertent damage to nearby people and property.
One traditional method of disabling explosive devices is to disarm them. Disarming can entail the disconnecting of the detonator or triggering mechanism from the explosive charge. Unfortunately, the appropriate manner of such disconnection may be difficult to determine or difficult to implement, or both, resulting in a highly dangerous situation for the person disarming the explosive. Further, even after being successfully disarmed, the explosive charge may still pose a danger of explosion due to other known or unknown mechanisms. Therefore, the explosive charge must still be neutralized or otherwise disposed of.
Another traditional method of disabling an explosive device is removing and transporting the system to a location that poses less danger to people and property, and detonating the explosive device there. Unfortunately, the removal of the explosive device without detonation may prove to be impossible, impractical, or difficult. For example, during a removal attempt there may be an inadvertent explosion and damage to people and/or property. Further, even if the explosive device was successfully removed, an inadvertent explosion and/or damage may occur during transit of the explosive device to a desired detonation location. Finally, even if the explosive system is successfully removed and transported to a desired detonation location, the detonation may involve collateral damage at the detonation site or require the provision of an explosion-resistant container.
The explosive device can also be conventionally disabled by in-place detonation where the explosive charge is triggered to explode. This method is often practiced in the case of land mines. While the land mine is covered with soil, such mines can also be covered with foliage or other camouflage, or can be uncovered. Mines of this type can be mechanically or non-mechanically (e.g., influence-type) activated. An influence-type mine contains an explosive bulk charge that is triggered by non-mechanical external conditions. For example, such a mine can be triggered by the detection of a sufficiently large and sufficiently close metal object. In contrast, a mechanically activated land mine is triggered in response to mechanical application of a force to one or more parts of the land mine. The triggering device may include, for example, one or more plates supported by one or more springs. When a sufficient amount of pressure is imparted to the plates of the triggering device, for example due to a person or vehicle moving onto the portion of the ground surface directly above the triggering device, the plates can press down. Under certain predetermined conditions of pressure or time, a fuse within the triggering device can be initiated, which in turn detonates the bulk charge. The bulk charge can be formed of various materials such as trinitrotoluene (TNT), Composition-B, C-4, mercury fulminate, binary compositions, or some other explosive material.
An explosive charge is desirably disposed of at or near the ground surface. The explosive charge can be a conventional explosive that can be remotely detonated through known methods. Such conventional explosives can include TNT, Composition-B, or others such as dilute explosive tile (DET) available from SRI International of Menlo Park, Calif. As the explosive charge explodes, material and energy travel away from the explosive charge. As the material and energy from the explosive charge travel in the direction of and to the land mine, the land mine, and more particularly the bulk charge, may experience a particular peak pressure for a particular duration, both of which are sufficient to trigger and therefore explode the bulk charge.
Unfortunately, the effectiveness of an explosive charge formed of conventional explosives is strongly effected by how much material is between the explosive charge and the land mine. When underground, this amount can be characterized by the medium depth MD of the medium (here the ground or soil) between the explosive charge and the land mine through which the explosive material and energy travels. The effectiveness is also strongly affected by the type of the ground or other intervening medium between the explosive charge and the land mine. Also, the effectiveness is affected by the overall distance from the land mine to the explosive charge. For example, this distance is greater when there is more lateral offset between the explosive charge and the land mine, and increases when the explosive charge is exploded at larger heights above the ground surface.
Due to each of the foregoing factors, conventional explosive charges can be unreliable for neutralizing underground land mines with a medium depth (MD) of greater than thirty (30) centimeters. Also, because the land mine may be detonated by the reaction of the bulk charge itself, and not the triggering device, the effectiveness of the conventional explosive charge is affected by the particular type of bulk charge used in the land mine. More specifically, the effectiveness is influenced by the required peak pressure and or duration required for detonating the type of material that forms the bulk charge.
Instead of a conventional explosive, a shaped explosive charge can be used for in-place detonation of the land mine. The conventional explosive charge essentially explodes with material and energy directed substantially equally in all directions. In contrast, the shaped explosive charge can be configured such that when exploded, the material and energy (sometimes referred to as the “jet” and including hot molten material such as copper) are projected outward in one or more predetermined directions, with reduced or substantially no projection in other directions. Thus, the shaped explosive charge can be placed near or on the land mine, for example near or on the ground surface, and remotely detonated. Upon such explosion, the jet can project into the land mine with sufficient pressure and/or duration to detonate the bulk charge.
Another prior art method of in-place detonation involves explosively formed penetrators (EFP), or self-forging fragments. A detonating device can be disposed some distance away from the targeted land mine, for example, above the ground surface, and exploded. Upon such explosion, fragments and penetrators are formed and projected toward the explosive device. When the fragments and penetrators penetrate into the device bulk charge, they can produce the required peak pressure for the required duration to produce detonation of the bulk charge. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the EFPs are strongly effected by the overall distance between the EFP device and the land mine, the amount and type of intervening material, and the type of explosive used for the bulk charge.
Therefore, it is desired to have an apparatus and method for neutralizing explosive devices that are more effective, are less sensitive to the medium depth MD, less sensitive to intervening obstacles, and less sensitive to the type of explosive material used for the bulk charge. Further, it is desired that such an apparatus and method disable the explosive device without necessarily exploding the bulk charge, thereby substantially avoiding collateral damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,763 describes a system for neutralizing a bulk charge of an explosive device including a reaction stake having a first end and a second end, and including a reaction initiation material that can facilitate non-explosive neutralization of the bulk charge of the explosive device. Also included is a deployment mechanism disposed near the first end of the reaction stake, and a penetrating tip disposed near said second end of said reaction stake. In some embodiments, the reaction initiation material can facilitate neutralization of the bulk charge when the reaction initiation material is burned. In particular, the reaction initiation material can include magnesium-Teflon, thermites, solid rocket propellant, and/or liquid rocket propellant. Another system for neutralizing a bulk charge of an explosive device includes an array device, and a plurality of individual neutralization systems supported by the array device. Further, each individual neutralization system includes a reaction stake having a first end and a second end, and including a reaction initiation material that can facilitate non-explosive neutralization of said bulk charge of said explosive device. The individual neutralization system also includes a deployment mechanism disposed near the first end of the reaction stake and a penetrating tip disposed near the second end of the reaction stake. In some embodiments, the reaction stake further includes a stake housing in which the reaction initiation material is disposed, and the stake housing has an egress hole proximate the reaction initiation material. In addition, the reaction stake can include an ignition system proximate the reaction initiation material. More specifically, the ignition system can include an ignition fuse and a primer cap. A method is disclosed for neutralizing a bulk charge of an explosive device including positioning a neutralization system relative to an explosive device that includes a bulk charge. The method also includes piercing the bulk charge with the neutralization system and bringing a reaction initiation material in contact with the bulk charge. This contact causes at least a portion of said bulk charge to be non-explosive. In some embodiments, piercing the bulk charge includes positioning at least a portion of the reaction initiation material within the explosive device and creating an initial gap between the reaction initiation material and the bulk charge. This initial gap reduces the probability of pressure build up that can cause the bulk charge to detonate before it is rendered non-explosive by the reaction initiation material.
One class of methods requires that the ordnance be taken to a central location for processing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,335 discloses destruction of explosives and other ‘energetic’ materials by feeding a stream of the material with diluent into a high temperature bath of molten alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt. Organic material is destroyed, and inorganic material is separately recovered from the salt. Other destruction methods are known for particular types of material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,805 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,971 are directed to destruction of nitrogenous explosives, the former by controlled oxidation and the latter by digestion in aqueous caustic solution. U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,517 is directed to destruction of nitramine explosive by heating a mixture of such explosive with an aqueous dispersion of powdered metal that does not react with water. Examples of suitable metals include aluminum, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. Controlled combustion of selected combinations of materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,169. Treatment of explosive waste is carried out in a bed of granular material, such as sand. The ‘energetic’ material is ignited in the bed, and the granular material absorbs the force of any explosion, dampens the destructive power of propelled debris, and conveniently collects the unexploded debris.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,756, devices containing thermite (or Thermit®) mixtures have been used to burn vent holes into the propellant/motor portion of ordnance carried on, e.g., aircraft for the purpose of venting the propellant during a fire. Thus venting the propellant is meant to preclude excessive pressure and explosion of the propellant during such a fire. This patent is directed to a thermite composition comprising particular components intended to yield selected density, tensile strength, and elasticity characteristics.
Another class comprises methods that can be applied to either material in ordnance or only to the explosive material removed from the ordnance. One such method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,336. Sulfur and the explosive material are heated in an oxygen-free atmosphere to a temperature above 110° C. for a time sufficient to degrade the material to non-explosive reaction products. When liquid sulfur is used and introduced to the reactor in a stream of solvent, particularly carbon disulfide, the UXO need not be dismantled before treatment. Use of a liquid sulfur stream is preferred with waxy or cast explosives, as the warm sulfur will soften the explosive and improve mixture thereof with the sulfur. However, in accordance with this method, an oxygen-free atmosphere must be maintained during the initial step. Then, thus-decomposed material is subjected to high temperature sulfur vapor to complete the destructive reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,037 describes an apparatus for clearing land mines from below the surface of soil overgrown with vegetation and for rendering land cleared of mines suitable for agriculture or other use, said apparatus being mountable on a blast resistant vehicle that moves over the land along a line of movement, said apparatus comprising: at least one cylindrically shaped cutter member positionable ahead of the vehicle so as to precede the vehicle as the vehicle moves along the line of movement, said cutter member being rotatable about an axis normal to the line of movement of the vehicle; drive means for driving the cutter member to rotate about the axis of the member independently of any movement of the vehicle, said cutter member being driven at a peripheral speed of from 8 to 20 meters per second; means for mounting said cutter member on the front of the vehicle to lower the exterior of said rotating cutter member into the soil ahead of the vehicle to destroy the land mines and comminute vegetation into the soil as the vehicle moves along the line of movement; said cutter member being formed of a plurality of disks lying normal to the axis of said cutter member and spaced along the axis of the cutter member, the peripheries of said disks forming the exterior of said member, each of said disks of said cutter member having a plurality of cutting teeth circumferentially spaced along the periphery of the disk, certain of said teeth of each of said disks extending laterally from the disk toward an adjacent disk and into contiguity with similarly extending teeth of the adjacent disk so that the cutter member engages substantially the entirety of the swath of soil traversed by the cutter member during movement of the vehicle; and a shield interposable between said cutter member and the front of the vehicle for protecting the latter from debris discharged from said cutter member.
Another class of methods is directed to reformulation of the ‘energetic’ material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,690 discloses a method for reformulating polymer and wax-bound explosives to improve brisance. Added materials can include oxidizer, plasticizer, and stabilizer.
None of the above-described methods is suitable for destruction or neutralization of UXO and mines in situ. Known methods of in situ destruction, primarily providing for physical impact on the mines are unsatisfactory.
In one class of such methods, mines and UXO's are destroyed after detection by detonating a small explosive charge placed in or projected to the vicinity of the object to be destroyed. Detonation of this small charge causes a sympathetic detonation of the object and thus neutralizes the mine or UXO. Alternatively, a plurality of objects to be destroyed are removed from the site and relocated into one area, then detonated. This method requires use of an explosive charge and personnel skilled in the use of explosives. It also requires accurate detection and safe removal of individual mines.
Another class of methods of neutralizing UXO's and mines include use of plows, rollers, or flails attached to an armored vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,413 discloses use of wheels mounted on a vehicle, such as a tank, to detonate pressure-activated land mines buried in the ground in the path of the wheels. This method is slow, as the area to be cleared typically must be traversed a plurality of times, typically with the top layer of ground scraped away (itself a costly and dangerous undertaking) between traverses; cumbersome, as the necessary equipment must be sturdy, yet transportable from site to site; expensive, as it requires equipment and trained personnel; tedious, as a grid or other manner of ensuring thorough coverage must be established and adhered to assiduously, and dangerous, as the object is to cause the mines and UXO's to detonate.
Another class of methods is directed to temporarily disabling mines and UXO's, typically by cooling them to a temperature at which it becomes inoperative. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,055, the case of the mine or UXO is penetrated so that liquid nitrogen can be injected therein. This method is unsatisfactory, as merely piercing the outside of the device may cause it to detonate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,715 discloses drawing a mine or UXO into a tubular shell, closing the ends, and introducing liquid nitrogen into the interior. This method is less than satisfactory because it requires that the explosive device be moved before it is made less dangerous. Whereas each of these methods requires that each object be treated individually, U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,891 discloses a method and apparatus for neutralizing mines and UXO's by spraying cryogenic material over the area to be cleared to render the materials at least temporarily inoperable. Ordnance removed by this method should be placed in liquid nitrogen as quickly as possible. This is a difficult method, with many potential side-effects (e.g., creating an oxygen deficient environment) and inefficiencies.
Another area-wide treatment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,239. The area to be treated is infused with an electrolyte and subjected to a direct current voltage to enhance natural corrosion. The temperature of the area also may be increased, for example, by covering the area with black material, such as a plastic sheet, to further accelerate corrosion. This method is unsatisfactory because it takes on the order of five to ten years and requires continuing attention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,519 describes a method of reacting on or near the surface of the mine or UXO a charge of a compound that reacts with an extremely high heat-release rate. The intense exothermic reaction generates high temperature combustion products that will melt, burn, or otherwise disrupt, a metal, plastic, composite, or wooden casing, thus leading to combustion or decomposition of the explosive. In an alternative embodiment, the high temperature in the casing decomposes the content thereof, causing the pressure in the casing to rise, fracturing the casing before the explosive detonates. In either case, the disrupted casing enables ignition of a large area of the explosive charge and provides easy access for atmospheric air to support active burnout of the explosive.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,112 describes a prodding implement for determining acoustic characteristics of objects comprising: an acoustically transmitting probe having a detecting end and a coupling end; an acoustic transducer having a first end, for generating an acoustic emission, and for receiving an acoustic wave and generating an electrical signal in dependence thereon; an electrically insulating acoustic coupler for operatively connecting the probe and the acoustic transducer including; a first receiving end for receiving the coupling end of the probe and having an internal probe contact surface for contacting the coupling end of the probe when received and lateral support means for surrounding a portion of the coupling end of the probe, a second receiving end for receiving the first end of the transducer and having lateral support means for surrounding portion of the transducer and an internal transducer contact surface opposite and acoustically contacting the internal probe contact surface; sealing means for contact between the coupling end of the probe and the internal probe contact surface and between the first end of the transducer and the internal transducer contact surface for acoustically transparent coupling of the coupling end of the probe to the internal probe contact surface and of the first end of the transducer to the internal transducer contact surface; and processor means for comparing known acoustic wave patterns to a received wave pattern, wherein acoustic coupling is provided over the internal probe and transducer contact surfaces, substantially without distorting acoustic wave transmission.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,360 describes a probe carrying vehicle is described which has at least one probe carrier which preferably carries at least one eddy current probe and at least one magnetic field probe for ground and foreign matter detection in a search area. Spacing means that may be in the form of a bogie assembly with wheels or chains or the like are provided to maintain spacing between the ground and the probes. The probe carrier is movable over the search area by means of a craft, to which the probe carrier is flexibly coupled by means of coupling means. The coupling means are disposed on one end of a preferably long pole, the other end of the pole being fixed rigidly to the probe carrier. The pole ensures a proper orientation of the probe relative to the ground particularly on uneven ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,160 describes a forwardly-rotatable, driven-drum, land mine clearing tool has a plurality of robust, easily-repairable tool spokes extending radially from the outer surface of the drum. The land mine clearing tool is connected to the front end of a tracked vehicle and is operatively raised and lowered from the tracked vehicle. The drum and tool spokes engage the earth of a land mine field in a milling action, which grinds and destroys some land mines while triggering detonation of other land mines.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,542 describes a system for clearing anti-personnel mines includes a vehicle, a blast shed on the front of the vehicle, and arms pivoted to the blast shield. A roller wheel subassembly is connected to the arms by cables or chains. Cross members fastened diagonally between the arms minimize side-to-side swing of the arms on the blast shield while allowing the arms to swing up and down relative to each other. The vehicle has a boom for lifting the arms and roller wheel subassembly. The arms connect to the boom by another chain or cable that slides through an eye on the boom so that the chain or cable accommodates relative vertical swing of the arms. The roller wheel subassembly has an axle and roller wheels on the axle, the inner diameter of the roller wheels being greater than the axle's diameter. Annular spacers on the axle alternate with the wheels, the spacer diameters being larger than the wheels' inner diameters but smaller than the wheels' outer diameters. The wheels and spacers move independently of one another rotationally and radially relative to the axle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,774 describes a lightweight mine extracting plow is provided that can be mounted on any type of armored vehicle to enable the vehicle to cross minefields in an attack formation or to assist the armored vehicle in escaping from scattered minefields, either laid by air or by artillery, by removing obstacles, such as mines, from all areas of land. The plow has tines which penetrate the land to extricate the mines. Blades are shaped to dispose the mines sideways out of the path of the tracks of the vehicle. A folding skid device controls articulation of the plow over ground undulations and extends forward to assist in bridging ditches. The skid has a device which automatically positions it in front of the plow and overturns it into a pre-operation mode. A mechanical lifting device is operable by reversing the vehicle to lift the plow out of the ground. Thereafter, the device automatically reverts to its pre-operation mode. A locking device holds the plow in its pre-operation mode and allows it to drop to the ground when desired. A sliding bracket arrangement is provided such that the plow can be discarded by reversing the carrying vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,661 describes a system and process for neutralizing unexploded ordnances and clearing explosive infested areas such that maneuvers can be both readily and confidently continued without significant delay is disclosed. The system clears such unexploded ordnances infested areas by initially spraying the explosive infested area with a cryogenic liquid to neutralize the unexploded ordnances and reduce an output voltage of a detonator of the unexploded ordnances thereby rendering the unexploded ordnances inert, gathering the now unexploded ordnances and submerging the inert unexploded ordnances in a tank containing the same or similar cryogenic liquid so that the unexploded ordnances are maintained in a neutralized and inert state to allow for disposal. Alternatively, the neutralization of unexploded ordnance and clearing of explosive infested areas may be carried out by spraying the explosive infested area with liquefied methane to neutralize the unexploded ordnance and reduce an output voltage of a detonator of the unexploded ordnances to render such ordnance inert, igniting the liquefied methane, deflagrating the unexploded ordnances at a temperature less than that required for detonation and subsequently removing the neutralized ordnances from the explosive infested area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,209 describes a two-step process for clearing unexploded ordnance (“UXO”) from the ground. First a high power electromagnetic transmitter sweeps the ground area to be decommissioned. Secondly a lower-power time-domain electromagnetic transmitter or metal detector sweeps the same area to locate UXO. The high power transmitter employs a waveform of having the same frequency and pulse duration as that of the metal detector but does so with at least twice the power, Firstly, when the higher power waveform is applied to the ground, UXO which does not trigger and detonate or “function” is proved as non-functioning at lower detection power. Subsequently, the ground area can then be safely scanned by human personnel with impunity, applying the more accurate, lower power metal detector. The detected locations of unexploded ordnance are recorded for subsequent manual removal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,272 describes a multi-sensor system for detecting the presence of objects on the surface of the ground or buried just under the surface, such as anti-personnel or anti-tank mines or the like. A remote sensor platform has a plurality of metal detector sensors and a plurality of short pulse radar sensors. The remote sensor platform is remotely controlled from a processing and control unit and signals from the remote sensor platform are sent to the processing and control unit where they are individually evaluated in separate data analysis sub-process steps to obtain a probability “score” for each of the pluralities of sensors. These probability scores are combined in a fusion sub-process step by comparing score sets to a probability table which is derived based upon the historical incidence of object present conditions given that score set. A decision making rule is applied to provide an output which is optionally provided to a marker sub-process for controlling a marker device to mark the location of found objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,243 describes a minefield clearing apparatus for attachment to a vehicle and having: an interface assembly for raising and shunting aside mines and other objects buried below the ground surface including: an articulated rake having a plurality of plow teeth which, in operation, extend below the ground surface; and a conveyor apparatus extending along the side of the vehicle and adapted to transport the contents of the earth raised by the articulated rake to the rear of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,694 (Azulai et al.) discloses a mine clearing apparatus having two widely spaced plow blades oriented so as to form a “V” and a frame mountable to a vehicle for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,053 (Bar-Nefy et al.) describes a minefield clearing apparatus mountable upon a vehicle having two widely spaced plow blades oriented so as to form a “V” and apparatus for automatically raising the plow from its lowered orientation to its raised orientation in response to backwards motion of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,053 (Bar-Nefy et al.) shows a minefield clearing apparatus mountable upon a vehicle having two widely spaced plow blades oriented so as to form a “V”, such blades have two plow sections. An upper section moves soil, sliced by the teeth of the lower section, laterally.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,844 (Bar-Nefy et al.) discloses a minefield clearing apparatus for attachment to a vehicle having two widely spaced plow blades so as to form a “V” which may be raised or lowered automatically from inside the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,567 (Schreckenberg) describes an apparatus for clearing light land mines provided with clearing elements which can freely move up and down independently of one another and which are disposed in a V-shaped movable carrier attachable to a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,030 (Bar-Nefy et al.) provides a minefield clearing apparatus for attachment to a vehicle having two widely spaced plow blades oriented so as to form a “V” and being a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,844.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,940 (Bar-Nefy et al.) discloses a tank mounted minefield clearing apparatus having a single plow section mounted parallel to the front of a vehicle and having a conveyor apparatus extending along the length of the plow section adapted to convey the contents of the earth raised by the plow section to one side of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,330 (Kasher et al.) describes an automotive earth moving vehicle for civil and military applications having a blade which is comprised of two horizontally linked segments adapted to alternate between a single plane dozer mode and a V-shape plow mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,034 (Firth) discloses a mine clearing apparatus having at least one plow blade and mounted in such a way that such a blade is pivotable about two axes. The preferred embodiment of the invention discloses an apparatus with two separate blades orientated in V-shaped fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,114 (Matthews et al.) shows a mine clearing apparatus having float shoes that slide along the ground and adjust to maintain a chosen plowing depth. The float shoes are caused to move by powered adjusting means mounted upon a crossbeam and controlled by sensing means. The preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus is provided with two blades oriented in V-shaped fashion.
Mine Clearance is one of the five core components of mine action. In its broad sense, it includes surveys, mapping and minefield marking, mine detection, mine education & awareness, medical assistance, relocation, etc. as well as the actual clearance of mines from the ground. This range of activities is also referred to as “demining”.
Mine clearance is essential if communities are to regain full use of their land. In many situations mine clearance is a precondition for the safe return of refugees and people displaced by war from their homes, for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, as well as for reconstruction and sustainable development. Although mine clearance operations carried out to international standards are expensive, recent studies have shown that they not only allow for the social recovery of affected communities, but can also be justified on the basis of purely economic cost-benefit analysis.
Surveying, or the formal gathering of mine-related information, is required before actual clearance can begin. Impact surveys are intended to assess the level of socioeconomic impact of the mine contamination and to help assign priorities for the clearance of particular areas. Impact surveys make use of all available sources of information, including minefield records (where they exist), data about mine victims, and interviews with former combatants and local police, informants, and the community in general. Technical surveys then define the minefields and provide detailed maps for the clearance operations.
Maps resulting from the impact surveys and technical surveys are stored in the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), and provide baseline data for clearance organizations and operational planning.
Minefield marking is carried out when a mined area is identified, but clearance operations cannot take place immediately. Minefield marking, which is intended to deter people from entering mined areas, has to be carried out in combination with mine awareness, so that the local population understands the meaning and importance of the signs.
Clearance operations make use of three main methods:
                Manual clearance relies on trained deminers using metal detectors and long thin prodders to locate the mines, which are then destroyed by controlled explosion;        Mine detection dogs, which detect the presence of explosives in the ground by smell. Dogs may be used in combination with manual deminers;        Mechanical clearance using machinery, including flails, rollers, vegetation cutters and excavators, often attached to armored bulldozers, to destroy the mines in the ground. These machines can only be used when the terrain is suitable, and are expensive to operate. In most situations they are also not 100% reliable, and the work needs to be checked by other techniques.Advances in technology have been made in recent years, both in mine detection systems and in mechanical means for destroying mines in place. However, in many situations manual clearance remains the preferred method, for reasons both of cost and reliability.        
The UN bodies involved in mine action do not carry out mine clearance directly. In most countries they advise and assist the national authorities, or a UN peacekeeping mission, to establish a Mine Action Authority or Coordination Centre to oversee clearance activities. The actual clearance operations may then be carried out by national civilian agencies, military units, national or international NGOs or commercial organizations.
Existing technologies for tactical breaching include the M58A4 Mine-Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC), a rocket-propelled explosive line charge which basically blasts a vehicle width lane through a minefield. Another example of the line charge is the Antipersonnel Obstacle Breaching System (APOBS), The APOBS is a man-portable line-charge capable of blasting a footpath through a minefield. Other methods of breaching or clearing, essentially expanding footpaths created by a line charge, are through the use of plows, blades, rollers disks, and flails attached to a tank. Each of the methods described above was employed in Desert Storm, as was probing.
U.N. Clearance Standards
The United Nations provides a number of regulations and standards regarding the clearing and deactivation of mines
5.9 An area is cleared when all mines and munitions have been removed and/or destroyed. All debris, from mines and munitions, such as fusing systems, percussion caps and other items that constitute an explosive hazard, is to be removed.
5.10 The area should be cleared of mines and UXOs to a standard and depth which is agreed to be appropriate to the residual/planned use of the land, and which is achievable in terms of the resources and time available. The contractor must achieve at least 99.6% of the agreed standard of clearance. The target for all UN sponsored clearance programs is the removal of all mines and UXO to a depth of 200 mm.Manual Clearance Tools5.16 The following tools are used in demining operations with the objective of locating or assisting in the location of mines or munitions. Should any item be located, an immediate action (IA) drill must be known to all deminers.
a) Probing. The most commonly used method to check sub-surface for buried mines or munitions. Details of the angle and spacing for the use of the probe must be stipulated in the SOPs. See also Section One—Safety.
b) Excavation. An area where the detector or other methods have indicated the presence of metal will be excavated. Details of the depth, methods and tools to be used must be outlined in the SOPs.
c) Cutting tools. A variety of tools are available for the task of cutting small bushes, scrub and grass. All cutting tools must be used in the horizontal plane. Details of types and methods of use are to be outlined in the SOPs.
d) Metal Detectors. All detectors must be able to detect the landmines used in theatre to the depth of clearance specified. Consideration must be given to the depth of laying during operations and the end use of the land. All metal detectors need a comprehensive in-country technical evaluation. The SOPs must contain the procedures for operation, action on troubleshooting faults, maintenance and battery checking. The minimum depth of clearance is 200 mm therefore detectors should be able to detect mines to at least this depth.
e) Trip Wire Drills. A visual inspection is necessary in the zone that is being cleared. This may also be accompanied by a tripwire feeler drill. Methods of use are to be outlined in the SOPs.
Sandia, Inc. proposed in 1992 to provide a mobile vehicle that projected high pressure (10,000-60,000 psi) through water jets at the end of a long barrel to wash away dirt from mines and to cut through mines.
German Patent No. DE 39 28 082 A1 teaches the use of a motorized vehicle with separate water tank to provide a reticulating arm carrying a water nozzle to wash soil away from land mines. A sensor is used to detect mines and a gun is used to detonate the mines.
Applicant previously disclosed an effective land mine removal system in PCT Patent Application No.: PCT/US03/06174. This system has shown significant commercial potential, but can be improved upon.